What shutter speed?

redmonkee

redmonkee

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PHILIP
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Hi guys

Tonight i'm off to photograph the Leeds & District U16 Rugby cup final, and looking out of my window at at work the weather just can't seem to make it's mind up:thinking:

I've a feeling by the time kick off comes round (7.30pm) it's gonna be pretty dark. Last time I shot in similar conditions my camera settings were as follows.

Shot in TV mode
shutter speed 1/1000
aperture set to 2.8-2.8
ISO set to auto

Now because of these settings the camera was sometimes having to choose ISO 3200 to gain a correct exposure. This is something I want to try and avoid tonight by using a slower shutter speed.

So my Q is what is the slowest shutter speed I can get away with and still freeze Rugby action, am I right in thinking 1/640 will do?
 
Why not get some with some movement in?
Why have everything in suspended animation?
1/60 for running with the ball shots, panned. Legs all blurred, head sharp.

Lineouts shouldn't need more than 1/250 at the top of the jump either.

Mix it up a bit.
 
The trick with panning is to keep the panning movement going even after you've taken the picture. You want to keep your feet still and twist the upper part of your body while tracking the subject in the view finder, take the picture and keep following. Takes lots of practice but that's half the fun.
 
Get head on rather than the touchlines and you can slow it down as movement is not across the picture . I only have a lens that's 5.6 at its fastest and have got decent shots at 640/800, ISO 1600 this way that would be impossible to achieve side on.
 
Is there something different about dSLR's ASA rating?

Back in the days when I used to photograph 'sport' in dark conditions I'd push Tri-X one stop (to 800ASA) and get perfectly good results.

(Mind you I'd not have the luxury of setting my battered old F at 1/1000 and letting the electronics sort it out either - the 180 2.8 wide open at 1/60 and set focus and wait for the action to come to you was the way I'd do it. :D)
 
It depends on your focal length and how rock solid your hands are :)

At 200/300mm if you are just looking to freeze the action you will get away with 1/640 with a slightly higher miss ratio. You may even get away with a bit less.
 
Firstly take the ISO off of auto and set it to what you need to.

Otherwise that must be really dark there if you *need* those kind of settings at ISO3200

Unless its that dark, I feel you must be making a mistake.

Paul
www.photographybyriddell.co.uk
 
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